The Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is set to hold the 48th session of its Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Islamabad on March 22-23 and the situation in Afghanistan is on the agenda of this meeting.
The OIC said this is the second ministerial meeting aimed to promote the organization’s efforts in Afghanistan. An extraordinary meeting of OIC’s foreign ministers was held last year in December, during which Afghanistan’s political, economic, and humanitarian situation were discussed.
“On several occasions, the OIC Secretary-General, His Excellency Hissein Brahim Taha, expressed solidarity with the people of Afghanistan. He reiterated the commitment of OIC Member States to help bring peace, security, stability and development to this country,” the OIC said in a statement on its website.
OIC said the organization has taken steps toward mobilizing support from the international community in support of the people of Afghanistan.
“The Secretary-General is in contact with the International Islamic Fiqh Academy to arrange a visit by a delegation to be led by prominent religious scholars, jurists and other religious institutions to engage with Afghanistan on issues of tolerance, moderation, equal access to education and women’s rights in Islam,” it said.
In the meantime, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in an article published by Arab News, said that after 40 years, there is a real opportunity to restore peace security in Afghanistan and in the region. He has called on the OIC member states to act collectively in addressing problems in the country.
“We must act collectively to avert a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in Afghanistan, and engage actively with the Afghan authorities to promote human rights, especially women’s rights, encourage greater inclusivity, and develop effective strategies to eliminate the terrorist threat from the country,” Khan said.
Khan has also said the OIC member states should find their own solutions to the problems confronting the Muslim World, including resolving the conflicts in Syria, Libya, and Yemen.
Following the OIC’s extraordinary meeting on Afghanistan last year, it established an office in Kabul and introduced a special envoy to coordinate the organization’s humanitarian efforts in the country.
